Hai And Mighty

There are obvious choices, and then there are good choices, and they’re rarely the same.

While revamped pre-Olympic Beijing has been stealing the Chinese spotlight of late, there’s an island southwest of Hong Kong undergoing its own renaissance—and Hainan Islandis ready for its debut. The up-and-coming tropical destination has the latitude of Hawaii, the climate of Bali and the white sandy beaches of both. Historically host to Communist exiles, not sun-seeking tourists, the “Land of the Fine Jade Cliffs” has long been under the travel radar. Which means its coral reefs are still intact, its rainforests still untouched and its waterfalls still undiscovered.